by Ava Riley
The smell of the shrimp and crab cakes platter sitting before Madison engulfed her senses. Food as delicious as this was not something she’d ever get in Kansas. Although she felt out of her element, she was glad Rowan had invited her; not only because the food smelled amazing, but because of the company that sat across from her. She stabbed her fork into the crab bringing it to her mouth. The flavor burst on her tongue, putting her mouth in a state of euphoria. She’d never tasted something so wonderful; it was so unexpected from a dive like this. As she devoured her food without thought, she peeked up to find Rowan watching her as he ate. Suddenly, she felt self-conscious of the way she was eating. God, what must he think of her? She felt her face flush, wanting nothing more than to hide under the table or run for the nearest exit. She set her fork down picking up her water glass to take a refreshing sip. Her mother had always told her to eat like a lady. She’d said men don’t like women who eat as if there were no tomorrow. Maybe she should have ordered a salad, she thought, then dismissed it. This food was entirely too good to pass up just so that she could make an impression on Rowan. If he didn’t like the way she enjoyed her food, then he didn’t need to ask her out again. She picked up her fork and continued to devour the food on her plate.
“What do you think?” He asked.
“About what?” She asked absently.
With a low chuckle, “The food. How is it?”
“It’s absolutely amazing. I’ve never tasted anything so delicious. I certainly wasn’t expecting it to taste this good when I saw the outside of this place. Thank you for inviting me here.”
“It’s my pleasure,” Rowan hesitated then continued, “Someone taught me a long time ago not to judge the inside by the outward appearance.”
“That’s true, people miss out on a lot when they do that,” she agreed halfheartedly.
Rowan couldn’t take his eyes off of Madison. God, he was so happy that she was not one of those women who felt the need to order a light meal just to impress a man. A woman who showed her true colors up front fascinated him. Madison was just that type of person. The day had already turned out better than he anticipated as he sat watching her enjoy her food. The look of ecstasy on her face made her even more beautiful. He wanted to be the cause of that pure bliss. He wanted to put a look of ecstasy on her face as he buried himself in her, as he tasted her.
While they sat eating in silence he imagined all the ways he could make that happen. If food brought on that look, he could incorporate it into their love making. Strawberries, chocolate syrup, maybe even some whip cream that he could eat off her body. Rowan felt his cock grow hard at the thought of Madison spread out before him waiting to be consumed. He was thankful for the table that hid the bulge beneath his khakis. If he planned on taking things slow with her, he was going to have to refrain from any sexual thoughts involving the two of them. How he was going to make that happen, he wasn’t sure. The woman made him burn with a passion he never felt before. He shook himself from his thoughts, trying to focus on just her in this moment and nothing else. He turned his attention back to his plate enjoying the here and now with her. If it was meant to progress any further, it would happen and he would gladly welcome it when the time was right.
Chapter 7
As they finished their meal, Madison made eye contact with Joe as he sauntered over to their table. In his hands he held a small white china plate with the most delicious looking chocolate cake covered in chocolate syrup flowing down the sides. Madison didn’t think she could eat another bite, until she saw the cake. Then, what food had settled in her stomach moved to the side to make way for the scrumptious dessert making its way to their table.
Placing the plate between the two of them, Joe said with a wink, “The bill’s been taken care of.”
“No way, I’m not a starving medical student anymore,” Rowan protested.
“No, you aren’t. And I’m proud of what you’ve done with yourself and the man you’ve become. No arguments; enjoy the cake and the rest of your day.” And with that Joe was gone.
Rowan shook his head as if in disbelief and Madison found herself smiling. “He’s got a soft spot for you,” she said as she picked up a fork and dug into the cake.
“Yeah, I guess he does.” He stated as he followed suit, taking a bite of the dessert.
They both glanced at each other as if they were in a completely different realm. Madison wasn’t sure how much more her senses could take today. Between Rowan and the food she just enjoyed, she was on overload. Just as she thought she couldn’t take anymore, he reached over with a fork full of cake and brought it to her lips. Keeping her eyes glued to his, she parted her lips to accept the offering. She hadn’t thought it possible, but it was even more scrumptious coming from his fork. She hadn’t known that food could be so erotic, but Rowan was showing her very quickly that it could be. She wanted to experience more of it, but only with him.
“Would you like to take a walk?” Rowan asked as she took the last bite available.
“Sure, I’d love to.”
As Rowan stood offering his hand, Madison felt a sweaty film on her palms. She quickly wiped them on her napkin one last time before placing a hand in his. They walked out into the afternoon sunlight, the salty ocean air replacing the aroma of fresh seafood. Madison inhaled, allowing the sea air to clear her mind and her senses. She needed to give her mind, along with her body a break after the lunch they just experienced.
Once they reached the edge of the boardwalk, their fingers still intertwined, Rowan felt relief; they’d finally have a chance to hold a conversation. There were so many things he wanted to know about Madison. He wondered to himself what she was like growing up, what this job was that she would be starting next week, and he wanted to hear more about her father. She’d not spoken much about him, but when she did her face lit up like a kid in a candy store without any restrictions. He’d felt that way about his own mother. He’d wanted to tell Madison about her, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Since his mother had died, he’d never talked to anyone about her, but there was a part of him that screamed out to share the memories he had with Madison. He never could talk to Tessa because her emotions were so raw when it came to their mother. No matter the pain he felt, he had no desire to subject her to the pain it caused her. Cade had tried to get him to talk about her, but it never felt right no matter how close they were. Rowan didn’t keep anything from their friendship, except this one thing. The way his mother’s death affected him was the only thing he kept locked up inside himself, away from everyone.
Madison’s voice shook him from his thoughts. For a split second he didn’t even care what she had said, just that his name had rolled off her tongue. A tongue that he’d dreamt of tasting, of tangling with his own.
“Rowan? I should probably get home. I have a lot to do today and tomorrow before I start work on Monday.”
“Where is it that you are working? I don’t recall you saying,” He didn’t want her to leave yet. Maybe, a distraction would cause her to stay just a little longer.
“I didn’t say, but I’m working for Advance Pharmaceutical here in Long Beach. It’s a relatively new company, but I can’t complain, since I got the job right out of college. So many of my friends are still looking for a job.”
“Yeah, I was pretty lucky too. Right out of medical school, I landed the job in the E.R.”
They stood against the railing of the boardwalk talking, as mostly men with fishing poles passed them by. This portion of the boardwalk was littered with fishermen casting their lines hoping for a successful catch or two. Rowan enjoyed the activity, but not near as much as he was enjoying Madison’s company. Releasing the hand he’d been holding since they made their way from their table in Joe’s, he leaned into her placing a hand on her hip.
“Madison, I promised myself I’d take it slow, but it is taking all my self-control not to kiss you right now,” he whispered against her ear.
Madison felt her heart stutter for
the nth time since she’d laid eyes on Rowan. She wanted him to kiss her; she wanted to kiss him back. Hell, if she were being honest with herself, she wanted to throw her virginity at him with reckless abandon. She was scared out of her mind, though, that once she allowed her lips to relax and enjoy his pressed to hers, all she’d see was the backside of his khakis as his perfectly muscled ass high tailed it from her presence. She quickly weighed the pros and cons. Yes, he might be disappointed, but at least she’d have the experience of kissing an amazingly gorgeous man; that was not something she could check off her bucket list just yet. It took all her control to speak without the nerves she felt coming through in her voice.
“I want you to kiss me, Rowan.”
Rowan only need the small sign of surrender before he leaned in and gently pressed his lips to hers. He took his time, giving her a moment to adjust to the feel of their lips meshed together. Once she relaxed, he felt her part her lips as he slid his tongue in to meet hers. The barrage of sensations almost knocked him to his knees. The heat searing kiss hit him in the center of his chest, making his heart clench. He slid his hands around her waist, her own hands reaching up and tangling in his hair. The world around them blurred into oblivion as the kiss continued on much longer than he had anticipated. Rowan felt himself grow painfully hard. A kiss, a kiss was all he wanted her to offer him at this moment he reminded his growing erection. The rest would come later, not much later, he hoped, but for now he’d take this kiss that all but did him in. He pulled away slightly, his forehead gently pressed to hers.
“Wow, thank you,” he said breathless against her lips.
“Why are you thanking me?” Madison asked; confusion in her voice.
“Because that was the most amazing kiss I believe I’ve ever experienced in my entire life.”
The heat that hit Madison in her core between her thighs during the kiss, made its way to her cheeks at the words of gratitude he poured out to her. No one had ever thanked her for a kiss; she was usually doing the thanking. Describing it as amazing, didn’t do the kiss justice. Had he not had his arms around her waist, she would’ve tumbled to her knees. Up until now, she’d only read about the affects of such a kiss. Madison was never really a believer of kisses that made you weak in the knees and caused you to lose your breath. But that’s exactly what his kiss did to her. If she were reading his expression correctly, he’d been affected the same way. For the first time in her life, while in the presence of a man, she didn’t feel self-conscious. She wanted to kiss him again. Instead of waiting for him to make another move, she pulled his mouth to hers, placing her lips on his. Her tongue found its way into the depths of his mouth as she uninhibitedly explored. Enjoying his taste and the way his body felt pressed against hers, she slid her hands around his neck. Her body tingled as she felt his hardness pressed against her stomach, their clothing a much welcome barrier at this point. His lips pressed to hers were almost too much for her to handle, anything more would have tossed her over the edge. She was sure it was an edge she’d gladly go over, but she wanted to be the one doing the jumping when the time was right. Now, she wanted to enjoy his mouth and all it had to offer her in this moment.
Chapter 8
For the first time in her life, Madison wanted to give herself to someone completely and freely; physically, emotionally and intellectually. After the kisses she shared with Rowan, they’d stood with the world busying themselves around them as they shared tidbits of information about each other. Nothing more than where they attended school or what their professional goals were, but it allowed her to stay with him a little longer. She’d only permitted herself a short time longer with him before informing him that she had priorities to take care of before the much anticipated job. He walked her to her car, assisting her in as he opened the door and gently placed a kiss on her cheek before shutting her in.
On the drive back to her place, she’d began to over analyze the cheek kiss, but squashed that as her body tingled from the memories of their time on the boardwalk. She had more than enough evidence of his reaction when she felt his erection pressed against her. Although she had no experience sexually, everything within her screamed to throw him down on the boardwalk in front of God and country to ride him like a wild bull. She laughed out loud at the ridiculousness of that thought. She wouldn’t know what to do with him, but she’d sure like to find out.
Now, hours later, she sat soaking in a garden tub, bubbles up to her chin. With candles illuminating the tiny master bathroom, the smell of lavender encompassing her, she allowed her mind to wander to images of her and Rowan making love for endless hours. Her lack of experience did not hinder her imagination. Visions of Rowan’s body hovering over hers filled her mind, as her hand traveled from a hardened nipple to her abdomen gently caressing with her fingertips. She let her head fall back as she gently stroked her clit underneath the surface of the water. Thoughts of Rowan’s mouth on her skin played in her mind. His mouth moving from her lips to her nipples, his tongue circling taking the peak into his hot mouth. The more she thought of his body pressed against hers, his mouth placing kisses on her skin, the closer she was to cuming as she rubbed her swollen clit with quicker strokes. She let out a small moan as she felt the release in her body. That was it, just a small release, nothing like what she’d read about in smutty romance novels; nothing that made her scream out a name. She wanted that, wanted it with Rowan. She needed to feel the earth move while her body shattered. She felt comfortable with him and she decided her first real orgasm would be with him. That body of his should have a sign on it that read satisfaction guaranteed here.
She leaned her head back against the tub, enjoying the relaxing comfort of the hot water and cleared her mind of any thoughts of Rowan, work or anything else. She needed to find her center point because since she’d moved from her small town in Kansas, she felt off balance. Even her morning runs had failed to balance her out and they always helped. She’d tried to convince herself that the move had affected her mood, but deep down inside she knew it was this man who pre-occupied every waking thought, hell every moment of unconsciousness as well. Finally she completely shut herself down mentally, the serenity of the moment encompassing her.
Rowan felt on edge. The corona with a touch of salt did nothing to take away that edge either. Here it was already Wednesday afternoon and he’d not seen or heard from Madison since they’d met for lunch on Saturday. They exchanged phone numbers, but she hadn’t called and he didn’t want to be intrusive. They hadn’t even talked about seeing each other again, but he’d hoped to at least get a glimpse of her. He knew her first week of work would be a hectic one trying to get settled, so he didn’t want to push anything. He couldn’t get her out of his mind, though; her taste still lingered on his lips. When he kissed her on the boardwalk, he felt like a school boy experiencing his very first kiss. It was electrifying. Sure his body reacted to it, but the emotions that flooded his heart were overwhelming and he wanted to experience more. He had been pleasantly surprised when she’d pulled him in for another kiss and knew that when he finally got her into bed she would wonton. He couldn’t wait to experience that with her.
Tonight was his last free night before his vacation ended and he wanted to see her. He needed to spend time with her before he went back to his graveyard shift at the hospital. Their schedules were so different that if not tonight, he wasn’t sure when he’d be able to see her again. Rowan decided that dinner was in order for the two of them. She’d most likely not want to go out after a long day at work, so he was going to make special plans for them. He quickly sent her a text asking her to have dinner and then went right to work on getting everything together for their night.
Madison sat at the round brown table in the middle of Advance Pharmaceutical’s lunch room with her new co-workers, eating the ham on wheat sandwich she’d packed herself this morning. She liked the girls in the office, although they were much older than she was, they made her feel welcome and part of the group already.
This week was mostly about paperwork, learning the facility and getting to know the other employees. Although, the work wasn’t stressful, it still drained her mentally. As she sat more listening to the other ladies, her cell phone began to vibrate. She was surprised that someone would be texting her since other than her mother, no one knew her new number and her mother didn’t have a clue as to how to use text messaging. She laughed thinking back to when she tried to teach her mother how to text. That had been a lost cause before the lesson even started. When Rowan’s name popped up on her phone, she remembered they’d exchanged numbers. When she’d given him her number, she honestly hadn’t expected him to call and most certainly not text. She figured since he hadn’t made an effort to contact her since their lunch date, he’d decided not to pursue anything. When she tapped her cell screen to retrieve her messages she sat dumbfounded and giddy all at the same time.
Hi Beautiful. I hope your first week of work is going well. I was hoping you would allow me the honor of making you dinner. Would you join me at La Rowan Wroth for dinner?